Chapter 2 Happy Together in Cyberspace : Danmu’s Affective Impact on Documentary Viewing Experience

Abstract

This collection represents the first of its kind, bringing together the latest research on danmu, the fast-growing phenomenon of live comments overlaid on audiovisual media changing the shape of audience participation on video-streaming platforms and of audiovisual translation research today. The volume presents compelling evidence of danmu's growing influence in shaping the future of audiovisual translation and online computer-mediated communication. Through diverse theoretical and methodological lenses, the chapters delve into how danmu facilitates audience participation, impacts documentary viewing through emotional engagement, and challenges traditional subtitling with multimodal pseudotranslations. It further explores cultural citizenship in video game commentary, virtual communities of practice in danmu, and Chinese audience preferences in danmu-enhanced viewing experiences. This book will be of interest to scholars in audiovisual translation, media studies, digital communication, and East Asian studies.